Guidelines for Using the PDF Output Format
Guidelines for Using the PDF Output Format
The following is a short tutorial to initiate the Gemara learner in the use of the PDF output format of Talmud Navigator. The Extended Introduction includes a description of Talmud Navigator including sources, developments and applications.
The output format is comprised of three sections:
- At the top of each page appears a box defining symbols for the various types of segments which appear in the text.
- The left part of the page presents the full text of the Gemara subdivided into two columns 'מימרא ' and 'מאן דאמר ' with each segment appearing on a different line.
- The right section of the page presents a charting or flow of the sugya. There are eleven columns in this section (א - כ ).
- In column א appears the 'daf' of the text
- Column ב is used to indicate the beginning of a משנה (מ ), the גמרא (ג ) or an insert from an earlier segment (<).
- In columns ג-כ appear symbols indicating the segment type (statement, question, answer, etc.) of each line of text. This section shows the flow of the sugya in a meaningful graphic presentation. The columns form an hierarchal presentation of the order of the משא ומתן (give and take) of the 'sugya' from right to left (columns ג to כ ) so that, for example, an answer in column ו relates to a question in column ה on the previous line or even appearing many lines before. Any type of segment can span several lines and could have imbedded within (to the left on the same lines) other symbols to indicate an additional subtype for the same line of text or sub arguments that comprise the main line of משא ומתן .
The color scheme of the text conforms generally to the following convention:
- Statements – blue
- Questions and Challenges – yellow
- Answers – green
- Disputants – red
Due to present limitations there are exceptions to the above convention so that the main guide for following the משא ומתן of the 'sugya' should be the symbols appearing in columns ג-כ .
Important Note: This module should be used after learning theגמרא for the purpose of clarification and review.
